This summer, a few friends from abroad visited me in Skopje. To prepare, I started thinking about the story I wanted to tell them – the way I would frame how Skopje’s identity was formed. Skopje, throughout its history, has gone through many phases of building its own identity: as a result of the devastating earthquake in 1963, or the more recent project Skopje 2014, or even more recent attempts by a group of young people to build a beautiful city.

Andrej didn’t see himself as a person who will study far away. It made sense to me: he’s tied to Skopje (“I love my hometown!”) – to the history, the hangouts, and most of all, the opportunity to beautify it. If you walk through some of Skopje’s streets, it’s possible you’ll see the results of the artistic endeavors from Andrej and his friends. 

The graffiti scene in Skopje is made up of a group of artists who relish the chance to create something everyone can see. Their goal is to break up the city’s monotony. Their tools are colors and a creative vision. And the result: fewer blank walls that convey no message. 

Of course, not everybody is thrilled with this kind of vigilante-creativity (and I get it – we’re usually talking about public spaces!). But Andrej believes that this kind of visual art is consistent with the broader attempts, by all kinds of artists, to appreciate their hometown regardless of its flaws. The video Andrej sent us ahead of his final interview didn’t have a single narrative. Instead, it included short vignettes from Skopje’s streets, accompanied by the sound of Starogradska 2 (“Old town 2”) – a song by Skopje’s rap group Zad Agolot (Around the corner). The choice of a song wasn’t accidental: the whole point was to place what’s happening in the video (the graffiti, the hangouts) in the context of the musical and artistic history of the city. 

On top of graffiti and music, Andrej is devoted to filmography. As early as elementary school, he showed interest in video-making, and this year he was given the opportunity to film a movie that showcases his high school. With a group of more than 10 people – a director, a scenographer, actors – Andrej created a short film. Its topic? The everyday problems of a newcomer in Skopje.

It’s hard when a candidate so integrated in his environment becomes part of UWC. It’s especially hard when the specific college is so far away – UWC Li Po Chun in Hong Kong. Andrej ranked it 15th (out of 18!) on his list because of the distance from Skopje. But he doesn’t want to miss the opportunities the college will provide: a serious education in visual arts, an opportunity to meet friends from across the world, and a chance to experience a new, much bigger city.

Skopje and Hong Kong are different cities, for sure. But Andrej has already contributed to building Skopje’s identity – now it’s time to try and leave a mark on Hong Kong as well.

Bobo Stankovikj
July 2024